wild wales-第33章

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helped　by　the　power　which　he　possessed　of　the　second　sight。　　On　
several　occasions　he　settled　the　disputes　in　which　his　friend　
Gunnar　was　involved；　a　noble；　generous　character；　and　the　champion　
of　Iceland；　but　who　had　a　host　of　foes；　envious　of　his　renown；　and　
it　was　not　his　fault　if　Gunnar　was　eventually　slain；　for　if　the　
advice　which　he　gave　had　been　followed；　the　champion　would　have　
died　an　old　man；　and　if　his　own　sons　had　followed　his　advice；　and　
not　been　over　fond　of　taking　vengeance　on　people　who　had　wronged　
them；　they　would　have　escaped　a　horrible　death；　in　which　he　himself　
was　involved；　as　he　had　always　foreseen　he　should　be。

〃Dost　thou　know　by　what　death　thou　thyself　wilt　die？〃　said　Gunnar　
to　Nial；　after　the　latter　had　been　warning　him　that　if　he　followed　
a　certain　course　he　would　die　by　a　violent　death。

〃I　do；〃　said　Nial。

〃What　is　it？〃　said　Gunnar。

〃What　people　would　think　the　least　probable；〃　replied　Nial。

He　meant　that　he　should　die　by　fire。　　The　kind　generous　Nial；　who　
tried　to　get　everybody　out　of　difficulty；　perished　by　fire。　　His　
sons　by　their　violent　conduct　had　incensed　numerous　people　against　
them。　　The　house　in　which　they　lived　with　their　father　was　beset　at　
night　by　an　armed　party；　who；　unable　to　break　into　it　owing　to　the　
desperate　resistance　which　they　met　with　from　the　sons　of　Nial；　
Skarphethin；　Helgi；　and　Grimmr　and　a　comrade　of　theirs　called　Kari；　
（4）　set　it　in　a　blaze；　in　which　perished　Nial；　the　lawyer　and　man　
of　the　second　sight；　his　wife　Bergthora；　and　two　of　their　sons；　the　
third；　Helgi；　having　been　previously　slain；　and　Kari；　who　was　
destined　to　be　the　avenger　of　the　ill…fated　family；　having　made　his　
escape；　after　performing　deeds　of　heroism　which　for　centuries　after　
were　the　themes　of　song　and　tale　in　the　ice…bound　isle。



CHAPTER　XXIX



Snowdon　…　Caernarvon　…　Maxen　Wledig　…　Moel　y　Cynghorion　…　The　
Wyddfa　…　Snow　of　Snowdon　…　Rare　Plant。


ON　the　third　morning　after　our　arrival　at　Bangor　we　set　out　for　
Snowdon。

Snowdon　or　Eryri　is　no　single　hill；　but　a　mountainous　region；　the　
loftiest　part　of　which；　called　Y　Wyddfa；　nearly　four　thousand　feet　
above　the　level　of　the　sea；　is　generally　considered　to　be　the　
highest　point　of　Southern　Britain。　　The　name　Snowdon　was　bestowed　
upon　this　region　by　the　early　English　on　account　of　its　snowy　
appearance　in　winter；　Eryri　by　the　Britons；　because　in　the　old　time　
it　abounded　with　eagles；　Eryri　（5）　in　the　ancient　British　language　
signifying　an　eyrie　or　breeding…place　of　eagles。

Snowdon　is　interesting　on　various　accounts。　　It　is　interesting　for　
its　picturesque　beauty。　　Perhaps　in　the　whole　world　there　is　no　
region　more　picturesquely　beautiful　than　Snowdon；　a　region　of　
mountains；　lakes；　cataracts；　and；　groves　in　which　nature　shows　
herself　in　her　most　grand　and　beautiful　forms。

It　is　interesting　from　its　connection　with　history：　　it　was　to　
Snowdon　that　Vortigern　retired　from　the　fury　of　his　own　subjects；　
caused　by　the　favour　which　he　showed　to　the　detested　Saxons。　　It　
was　there　that　he　called　to　his　counsels　Merlin；　said　to　be　
begotten　on　a　hag　by　an　incubus；　but　who　was　in　reality　the　son　of　
a　Roman　consul　by　a　British　woman。　　It　was　in　Snowdon　that　he　built　
the　castle；　which　he　fondly　deemed　would　prove　impregnable；　but　
which　his　enemies　destroyed　by　flinging　wild…fire　over　its　walls；　
and　it　was　in　a　wind…beaten　valley　of　Snowdon；　near　the　sea；　that　
his　dead　body　decked　in　green　armour　had　a　mound　of　earth　and　
stones　raised　over　it。　　It　was　on　the　heights　of　Snowdon　that　the　
brave　but　unfortunate　Llywelin　ap　Griffith　made　his　last　stand　for　
Cambrian　independence；　and　it　was　to　Snowdon　that　that　very　
remarkable　man；　Owen　Glendower；　retired　with　his　irregular　bands　
before　Harry　the　Fourth　and　his　numerous　and　disciplined　armies；　
soon　however；　to　emerge　from　its　defiles　and　follow　the　foe；　
retreating　less　from　the　Welsh　arrows　from　the　crags；　than　from　the　
cold；　rain　and　starvation　of　the　Welsh　hills。

But　it　is　from　its　connection　with　romance　that　Snowdon　derives　its　
chief　interest。　　Who　when　he　thinks　of　Snowdon　does　not　associate　
it　with　the　heroes　of　romance；　Arthur　and　his　knights？　whose　
fictitious　adventures；　the　splendid　dreams　of　Welsh　and　Breton　
minstrels；　many　of　the　scenes　of　which　are　the　valleys　and　passes　
of　Snowdon；　are　the　origin　of　romance；　before　which　what　is　classic　
has　for　more　than　half　a　century　been　waning；　and　is　perhaps　
eventually　destined　to　disappear。　　Yes；　to　romance　Snowdon　is　
indebted　for　its　interest　and　consequently　for　its　celebrity；　but　
for　romance　Snowdon　would　assuredly　not　be　what　it　at　present　is；　
one　of　the　very　celebrated　hills　of　the　world；　and　to　the　poets　of　
modern　Europe　almost　what　Parnassus　was　to　those　of　old。

To　the　Welsh；　besides　being　the　hill　of　the　Awen　or　Muse；　it　has　
always　been　the　hill　of　hills；　the　loftiest　of　all　mountains；　the　
one　whose　snow　is　the　coldest；　to　climb　to　whose　peak　is　the　most　
difficult　of　all　feats；　and　the　one　whose　fall　will　be　the　most　
astounding　catastrophe　of　the　last　day。

To　view　this　mountain　I　and　my　little　family　set　off　in　a　caleche　
on　the　third　morning　after　our　arrival　at　Bangor。

Our　first　stage　was　to　Caernarvon。　　As　I　subsequently　made　a　
journey　to　Caernarvon　on　foot；　I　shall　say　nothing　about　the　road　
till　I　give　an　account　of　that　expedition；　save　that　it　lies　for　
the　most　part　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　sea。　　We　reached　
Caernarvon；　which　is　distant　ten　miles　from　Bangor；　about　eleven　
o'clock；　and　put　up　at　an　inn　to　refresh　ourselves　and　the　horses。　　
It　is　a　beautiful　little　town　situated　on　the　southern　side　of　the　
Menai　Strait　at　nearly　its　western　extremity。　　It　is　called　
Caernarvon；　because　it　is　opposite　Mona　or　Anglesey：　　Caernarvon　
signifying　the　town　or　castle　opposite　Mona。　　Its　principal　feature　
is　its　grand　old　castle；　fronting　the　north；　and　partly　surrounded　
by　the　sea。　　This　castle　was　built　by　Edward　the　First　after　the　
fall　of　his　brave　adversary　Llewelyn；　and　in　it　was　born　his　son　
Edward　whom；　when　an　infant；　he　induced　the　Welsh　chieftains　to　
accept　as　their　prince　without　seeing；　by　saying　that　the　person　
whom　he　proposed　to　be　their　sovereign　was　one　who　was　not　only　
born　in　Wales；　but　could　not　speak　a　word　of　the　English　language。　　
The　town　Caernarvon；　however；　existed　long　before　Edward's　time；　
and　was　probably　originally　a　Roman　station。　　According　to　Welsh　
tradition　it　was　built　by　Maxen　Wledig　or　Maxentius；　in　honour　of　
his　wife　Ellen　who　was　born　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Maxentius；　who　
was　a　Briton　by　birth；　and　partly　by　origin　contested　
unsuccessfully　the　purple　with　Gratian　and　Valentinian；　and　to　
support　his　claim　led　over　to　the　Continent　an　immense　army　of　
Britons；　who　never　returned；　but　on　the　fall　of　their　leader　
settled　down　in　that　part　of　Gaul　generally　termed　Armorica；　which　
means　a　maritime　region；　but　which　the　Welsh　call　Llydaw；　or　
Lithuania；　which　was　the　name；　or　something　like　the　name；　which　
the　region　bore　when　Maxen's　army　took　possession　of　it；　owing；　
doubtless；　to　its　having　been　the　quarters　of　a　legion　composed　of　
barbarians　from　the　country　of　Leth　or　Lithuania。

After　staying　about　an　hour　at　Caernarvon　we　started　for　Llanberis；　
a　few　miles　to　the　east。　　Llanberis　is　a　small　village　situated　in　
a　valley；　and　takes　its　name　from　Peris；　a　British　saint　of　the　
sixth　century；　son　of　Helig　ab　Glanog。　　The　valley　extends　from　
west　to　east；　having　the　great　mountain　of　Snowdon　on　its　south；　
and　a　range　of　immense　hills　on　its　northern　side。　　We　entered　this　
valley　by　a　pass　called　Nant　y　Glo　or　the　ravine　of　the　coal；　and　
passing　a　lake　on　our　left；　on　which　I　observed　a　solitary　
corracle；　with　a　fisherman　in　it；　were　presently　at　the　village。　　
Here　we　got　down　at　a　small　inn；　and　having　engaged　a　young　lad　to　
serve　as　guide；　I　set　out　with　Henrietta　to　ascend　the　hill；　my　
wife　remaining　behind；　not　deeming　herself　sufficiently　strong　to　
encounter　the　fatigue　of　the　expedition。

Pointing　with　my　finger　to　the　head　of　Snowdon　towering　a　long　way　
from　us　in　the　direction　of　the　east；　I　said　to　Henrietta：…

〃Dacw　Eryri；　yonder　is　Snowdon。　　Let　us　try　to　get　to　the　top。　　The　
Welsh　have　a　proverb：　　'It　is　easy　to　say　yonder　is　Snowdon；　but　
not　so　easy　to　ascend　it。'　　Therefore　I　would　advise　you　to　brace　
up　your　nerves　and　sinews　for　the　attempt。〃

We　then　commenced　the　ascent；　arm…in…arm；　followed　by　the　lad；　I　
singing　at　the　stretch　of　my　voice　a　celebrated　Welsh　stanza；　in　
which　the　proverb　about　Snowdon　is　given；　embellished　with　a　fine　
moral；　and　which　may　thus　be　rendered：…


〃Easy　to　say；　'Behold　Eryri；'
But　difficult　to　reach　its　head；
Easy　for　him　whose　hopes　are　cheery
To　bid　the　wretch　be　comforted。〃


We　were　far　from　being　the　only　visitors　to　the　hill　this　day；　
groups　of　people；　or　single　individuals；　might　be　seen　going　up　or　
descending　the　path　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　　The　path　was　
remarkably　good；　and　for　some　way　the　ascent　was　anything　but　
steep。　　On　our　left　was　the　Vale　of　Llanberis；　and　on　our　other　
side　a　broad　hollow；　or　valley　of　Snowdon；　beyond　which　were　two　
huge　hills　forming　part　of　the　body　of　the　grand　mountain；　the　
lowermost　of　which　our　guide　told　me　was　called　Moel　Elia；　and　the　
uppermost　Moel　y　Cynghorion。　　On　we　went　until　we　had　passed　both　
these　hills；　and　come　to　the　neighbourhood　of　a　great　wall　of　rocks　
constituting　the　upper　region　of　Snowdon；　and　where　the　real　
difficulty　of　the　ascent　commences。　　Feeling　now　rather　out　of　
breath　we　sat　down　on　a　little　knoll　with　our　faces　to　the　south；　
having　a　small　lake　near　us；　on　our　left　hand；　which　lay　dark　and　
deep；　just　under　the　great　wall。

Here　we　sat　for　some　time　resting　and　surveying　the　scene　which　
presented　itself　to　us；　the　principal　object　of　which　was　the　
north…eastern　side　of　the　mighty　Moel　y　Cynghorion；　across　the　wide　
hollow　or　valley；　which　it　overhangs　in　the　shape　of　a　sheer　
precipice　some　five　hundred　feet　in　depth。　　Struck　by　the　name　of　
Moel　y　Cynghorion；　which　in　English　signifies　the　hill　of　the　
counsellors；　I　enquired　of　our　guide　why　the　hill　was　so　called；　
but　as　he　could　afford　me　no　information　on　the　point　I　presumed　
that　it　was　either　called　the　hill　of　the　counsellors　from　the　
Druids　having　held　high　consultation　on　its　top；　in　time　of　old；　or　
from　the　unfortunate　Llewelyn　having　consulted　there　with　his　
chieftains；　whilst　his　army　lay　encamped　in　the　vale　below。

Getting　up　we　set　about　surmounting　what　remained　of　the　ascent。　　
The　path　was　now　winding　and　much　more　steep　than　it　had　hitherto　
been。　　I　was　at　one　time　apprehensive　that　my　gentle　companion　
would　be　obliged　to　give　over　the　attempt；　the　gallant　girl；　
however；　persevered；　and　in　little　more　than　twenty　minutes　from　
the　time　when　we　arose　from　our　resting…place　under　the　crags；　we　
stood；　safe　and　sound；　though　panting；　upon　the　very　top　of　
Snowdon；　the　far…famed　Wyddfa。

The　Wyddfa　is　about　thirty　feet　in　diameter　and　is　surrounded　on　
three　sides　by　a　low　wall。　　In　the　middle　of　it　is　a　rude　cabin；　in